Slug casting machine



July 16, 1935. w. ACKERMAN SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9. 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR 77 A ?TORN Y6 y 1935. w. ACKERMAN ,U@,@fl

SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9. 19:54 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IN VENTOR A TTORNEV-S July 16, 1935. W. ACKERMAN SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9. 1934 -5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .My W, 1935., w. ACKERMAN 29 S-LUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9. 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 MI E,

INVENTOR mam N w M y W A TTORNE K6 .My M, 1935. w. ACKERMAN SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 1934 \ow 7 Q 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l/v VENTOR c I .44; p A TTORNE KS Patented July 16, 1935 1?? PATENT OFFICE SLUG CASTING Macrame:

William Ackerman, Towners N. Y., assignor t Mergenthaler Linotype )empany, a corporation of New York Applicationlanuar y 9, 1934, SeriaLNo. 705,859

19 Claims. (01. 199-54) This invention relates to .slug casting machines, such as linotype machines of the general organization represented in United States Letters: Patent to O. Mergenthaler No. 436,532,

wherein .a melting pot is arranged to deliver molten metal to a slotted mold and up against a composed line of matrices to produce aslug or linotype. whose characters correspond to the intaglio characters of the matrices. In these machines, the molds (there usuallybeing four in number) are mounted on a wheel or disk which is adjustable to bring, any selected mold into use, and which is rotatable periodically during each cycle of operation, first, to locate the active mold in casting position, and then, after the casting operation, to locatesaid mold with the cast slug in ejecting position. During the latter rotation, the cast slug is subjected to the action of a fixed knife common to all of the molds and arranged to trim the backs" or bottom edges of the slugs so thatthey will stand at exactly the same height in the printing form.

During the casting of so-called telephone or low slugs, howeventhe usual knife common to all the molds cannot be used, and it has been proposed to employ an individual, reciprocable knife With the respective molds, each of such knives being slidably arranged at the rear of its associated mold and movable longitudinally thereof to trim the bottom edges of the slugs cast in the mold. cavity. I-Ieretofore, such knives have been operated by a slide extending from one end of the mold and actuated by mechanism arranged at the front ofthe mold disk. This arrangement has been quite satisfactory for short slugs (say 15 ems in length),but is not suitable for long slugs of say 30 ems, since the slide operating mechanism would extend beyond the edge of the standard molddisk and interfere with the operation of the machine.

The instant invention obviates this diiiiculty and facilitates the casting and trimming of long telephone slugs. To this end the molds are each provided, as before, with a reciprocable knife movable to trim the bottom edges of the slugs, but the knife slide is considerably shorter, and is operated by means arranged to intercept a portion of the slide, thus causing relative movement between the knife and the mold to trim the slugs. With this arrangement, the guides of the knife slide are confined wholly within the limits of the mold, thus permitting the use of a larger mold than heretofore.

In thepreferred embodiment of the invention,

4 the knife slide is equipped with a pin projecting rearwardly of the mold and, as the mold disk is rotated from the casting to theejecting position, mechanism, common to all the molds, is arranged to cooperate with the pin through the usual aperture in the mold disk opposite which the mold is secured, to move the slide upon its active stroke, thus effecting the trimming operation. As the mold disk continues'its rotation to bring the mold to ejecting position, other mechanism is rendered active torturn the slideto its normal position, and, since the return movement of the knife is in the direction of travel of the mold disk, the slide is actuated at'a speed considerably greater than that of the mold disk in order to effect its return before mold reaches its ejecting position. Them nism for this purpose includes ranged to multiply the movement of the mold disk, together with means operatedby the levers for engaging the pin associated with the knife slide toreturn said slide to its normal position.

3 The invention also contemplates 'means for holding the slugs against displacement during the trimming operation, such means, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, comprising a seriesof pins or core membersspaced at intervals along the mold, and whichextend into the mold 'cavity when the slug is being cast. The pins or core members are arranged to be simultaneously projected into the mold cavity before the latter is brought to casting position and simultaneously withdrawn afterthe trimming operation and before the mold reaches the ejecting, position, the slug thus being freed for ejection from the mold. In theaocompanying drawings, the invention has been shownjmerely in preferred form and by way of example, and as applied to the commercial linotype machine, but obviously many changes and variations may be made therein and in its mode of application, which will still be comprised within its spirit. It should, therefore, be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the claims. Referring to the drawings: Fig. ,1? is a front elevationof a portion of a slug casting machine, showing a mold in casting position and with the mold disk broken away to expose the mechanism for operating the knife slideupon its active stroke and the mechanism for. returning the knife. slide to normal position; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the mechanism illustrated inFig. 1, showing the knife slide actuating mechanism during the active stroke of the slide;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the means for returning the knife slide to its normal positon at the beginning of its return stroke;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the mechanism for returning the knife slide to normal positon at the end of its return stroke;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a portion of the slug casting machine shown in Fig. 1 with the mold in ejecting position;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a vertical section taken on line '|-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the mold disk taken on line 88 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a partial horizontal section on line |0|0 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a partial vertical section taken on line l|-ll of Fig. 3;

Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the mold illustrated in Fig. 1, partly broken away to show the means for retracting the core elements from the mold cavity;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section on line l3--l3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a partial horizontal section on line Ill-l4 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a detail view of a portion of the mechanism for returning the knife slide to normal position;

Figs. 16 and 17 are sectional views on lines |6|6 and l'l-l|, respectively Fig. 15; and

Fig. 18 is a side view of a 51 st in the improved machine. f

In the operation of the commercial linotype machine, a line of matrices Z after composition is transferred into the so-calledfirst elevator or line transporter A which immediately descends to present the composed line to the mold B, the mold disk 0 having been previously located by a quarter-rotation of the disk in casting position. The mold disk C is then advanced to carry the active mold into contact with the matrix line at the front, and a metal pot (not shown) similarly advanced from the rear to carry the mouthpiece thereof into close contact with the back of the mold. When the parts are thus arranged in casting position, the slug is cast by the operation of the pot plunger, after which the metal pot and mold disk recede. The mold disk is then finally given a three-quarter rotation to carry the mold and the cast slug to the ejecting position and the composed line simultaneously lifted for separation and distribution, all as is well understood in the art.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 8, the mold disk C is rotatably mounted, as usual, on a hub member D carried by the customary mold slide D and may be equipped with four molds, any one of which may be selected for use by the manual adjustment of the mold disk 0 about its rotary axis. Such adjustment of the mold disk is effected in the regular way by means of a pinion C (Fig. 1) which normally rotates the disk when the machine is in motion, but which is moimted for axial movement on the drive shaft to break its connection when desired. As usual, the mold slide comprises a fore-and-aft portion D slidably mounted in guideways in the ma chine frame and connected at its rear end to the actuating mechanism (not shown), and a laterally offset front portion D arranged parallel with the mold disk and on which the mold disk is rotatably mounted.

As previously stated, the present machine is equipped to handle slugs up to 30 ems in length. The improved mold B, however, is longer than the standard 30 em mold for a purpose which will hereinafter appear, and to accommodate the longer mold, the mold disk C employed is the standard one used for a 42 em mold.

The mold B (only one of which is shown, see Figs. 1, 8 and 12) comprises a base or body portion B permanently secured by screws to the disk C, and a cap portion 13 which fits against the front face of the disk and is fastened down upon the body portion B by a clamping plate 13 screwed or otherwise secured to the disk. The top or cap portion 13 is bevelled upwardly from front to rear so as to engage beneath the clamping plate B and which therefore serves also to reenforce the cap against the strains imposed thereon during the casting and ejecting operations. Since the slugs desired for the purpose herein described are of a definite length, the use of the detachable liners ordinarily employed is dispensed with, and the end walls of the mold cavity b, as shown, are made integral with the mold body, although obviously, a mold could be employed utilizing such liners if slugs of shorter length are desired. At the front, the body portion of the mold is provided with the usual matrix alining ribs 5 Due to the greatly reduced depth of the mold cavity b, the back of the mold proper is spaced a considerable distance forwardly of the front face of the disk C (see Fig. 8) leaving a horizontal re- 'cess B open at the rear and ends and closed at the top and bottom by the cap and body portions of the mold. The recess B communicates with an elongated aperture C in the mold disk, and is somewhat wider at the back than the aperture, so that the recess is partially closed at the rear by those portions of the mold disk adjacent the lateral edges of the aperture. The aperture C is of sufficient width to admit the mouthpiece of the metal pot when it is advanced preparatory to the casting of the slug and flares toward the rear face of the disk to provide clearance therefor. In this connection, it may be stated that the mouthpiece of the pot (not shown) is made long enough to extend through the aperture C and recess 13* so as to contact with the back of the mold B, and the relative fore-and-aft movement of the pot and disk is such as will permit free rotation of the latter in the retracted or normal position of the parts.

The mold B is provided with a reciprocable knife B for trimming the bottom edges of the slugs cast in the mold cavity 1). This knife is carried by a slide B arranged to move longitudinally in the recess 13 provided at the rear of the mold and to which the knife 13 is detachably secured by a screw 27 threaded into the slide and held fixed by a set screw W. The slide B conforms in cross section to the shape of the recess B and is retained therein, as shown in Fig. 13, by those portions of the mold disk adjacent the lateral edges of the aperture C Although the slub to be cast is 3!! ems in length, the length of the mold B approximates that of the standard 42 em mold, thus providing sufficient space at the left of the mold to accommodate the knife slide B, which, in its normal position, does not extend beyond the left end of the aperture 0 in mold disk. As the mold is rotated from casting to ejecting position, the knife slide 13 is actuated left end thereof releasably to retain'the slide B inits normal retracted position; The knife slide is further provided with a pin B 'extending rearwardly' of the mold, and into, theaperture C of the mold diskfand which is adapted to be engaged by the means for effecting the reciprocable movements of the slide.-

As themold is rotated from the casting to the ejecting position, the knife slide 13 is moved upon 1 its active'stroke by an arresting or stop element E, slidable for'e-and-aft with respect to the mold disk; and which has theforward portion ofits upper surface concave, as at c, to receive the pin B. i As the disk C is rotated, the element E is moved forwardly at the proper instant to enter the aperture C in the disk at the leading end thereof and to intercept thepin B" on the slide, which is thus caused to move upon its active stroke to trim the slug. As the slide B? completes its active or slub trimming stroke, or as the trailing end of the mold-disk aperture C approaches the element E,

the latter is retracted from said aperture and out of engagement with thepin B so as to permit the .disk to continue its rotation Without interruption.

" In addition to its jfore-and-af-t movement, the stop element E partakes of a lateral movement; to accommodate the movementf the pin B",

Whichyduring the travel of the knife slide from one end of the mold .to the other, moves inthen outwardly again. 7 The element E is sustained against movement in thedirection of rotation of-the mold disk by a bracketmemberli carried at the leftend of the front portion of the mold disk slide and slidably secured to said portion to providefor thelateral movement ofthe pin B before alludedto; The

wardly toward the centerof the mold disk and member E includes a body portion E a depending tongue E arranged toslide in a groove'E formed at the upper edge of aretaining plate E screwed orotherwise'connected to an-extension D of the mold disk slide, and a pair of lugs E inclined -upwardly toward the rear and bearing upon a pair of lugs E formed at the upper-edge of the mold disk extension 13*, said lugs having their top faces bevelledat an angle corresponding to the inclination of thelugs E The lugs E are held against separation from the lugs E by headed shouldered screws e threaded into the lugs E and whichextend through slots e formed in the lugs E for this purpose. The slots e are of sufficient length to accommodate the movement of the member E as it followsthe movement of the pin B". member E -is formed; at the top,"with a T-shaped recess, one portion E of which accornrnoda'tesihe fore-and-aft sliding element and the other portion E? a'ccomrnodat ing one armE of a bell crank lever E pivoted to the member E at the right end thereof. The

member E is closed at the top by a plate E whichserves to retain the pin arresting element E inits groove in the member.

The arm E of the bell crank lever E engages at its end ina socket provided inthe side of the fore-and-aft element E and normally holdssaid element in'itsretracted position against the force of a compression spring e positioned in a hole drilled inthe right end of the slide member E2 and arranged to act upon the other leg E of the bell crank lever E The slide member E is also formed atthe right with an extensione provided with a recess e to receive the lower end of an actuating lever E pivoted intermediate its ends upon a stud e threaded into the front portion D of the mold disk slide. In front of the lever E and likewise pivoted on said stud e is a second lever E provided with a lug efi at its lower end and an adjusting screw e which abuts against the leg E of the bell crank lever E at a point opposite the spring e I Mounted on the hub D of the mold disk and at the rear face thereof are three actuating cams E E E", the rear one E being arranged to cooperate with a cam follower e mounted at the upper end of the lever E the middle cam E being arranged to cooperate with a similar cam follower c arranged midway between the lower end and the pivot point'of said lever E and the third orfront cam E" being arranged to cooperate with a cam. follower c mounted midway between the ends of the lever E which cooperates with the bell crank lever E3 on the sliding member E The'tWo cams E E which actuate the lever E are complementary in form, so as positively to E arrives adjacent a low portion 6 of its actuating cam E thus freeing the bell crank lever E and permitting it, under the influence. of the spring e to actuate the pin arresting element E into the path of the pin Bl on the knife slide. Immediately thereafter, the lower and upper cam followers e c on the lever E likewise arrive oppositea low portion e and a high portion e of the cams "E and E respectively, whose forms are such that the lever E is caused to move stop element first to the right, and then to the left, so as to follow the movement of the knife slide pin B as the knife slide passes from one end of the mold to the other in trimming the slug. As the knife slide B reaches the end of the cutting stroke, the follower e on the lever E arrives opposite the high portion of its actuating oam E causing the lever to effect a clockwise movement of the bell-crank E and positively retract the stop element E from the path ofthe pin B' andout of the'aperture- C so that the rotationof the mold disk may continue. I

During the operation just described, the bottom edge ,of the slug is trimmed, and the knife slide B moved to the right end of the mold (as observed in its casting position), or adjacent the trailing end of the aperture C in the mold disk. Having completed the trimming operation, the knife slide B must now be returned to its normalposition before the mold reaches the slug ejecting position, so as to prevent interference between the slide and the slug ejector. As the mold B reaches the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3, a fore-and-aft actuating element F is adapted to be projected into the aperture C in the mold diskand to engage behind the pin B" carried by the knife slide B The element F is formed at its front end with a crescent-shaped lip fto fit the pin 3', and as its engagement with said 'pin is elfected, it is actuatedquickly from the trailing end to the leading end of the mold disk aperture C at a speed considerably in excess of the speed of rotation of the mold disk, with the result that the knife slide 13 is dragged from its rightmost position (viewing the mold in casting position) back to normal position at the left end of the mold. As the pin actuating element F reaches the end of its stroke, it is retracted from the mold disk aperture C and out of engagement with the pin B so as to permit the mold disk C to continue its rotation to bring the mold to the slug ejecting position The pin actuating element F is constrained to move in the path of the pin B by a slot F formed in a bracket F screwed to the front portion D of the mold disk slide at its lower edge. The bracket F is formed in two parts, as shown, the lower portion F being screwed or otherwise suitably secured to the upper portion F One-half of the slot F is formed in the upper portion F of the bracket, and the other half in the lower portion F of the bracket. The slot F is arcuate in form, but not concentric with the mold disk due to the fact that the knife slide 13 in its movement follows a linear path with respect to the mold. In other words, the knife slide first moves toward the center of the mold disk and then recedes therefrom while passing from one end of the mold to the other.

The fore-and-aft movement of the pin actu-. ating member F into and out of engagement with the pin B" is effected by an expansible and a collapsible pin F extending radially through the member F and projecting beyond the cylindrical faces thereof and into one or another of a pair of grooves F F each having a portion formed in the upper and lower faces of the slot F The pin F tracks in the front groove F upon the advance stroke of the pin actuating member F and in the rear groove F during the return stroke of said member.

As shown in Figs. I and I5, the grooves F and F converge at the ends, and although the tops and bottoms of the respective grooves are spaced equally apart at the center of the slot F the top and bottom of the front groove F are spaced closed together than the top and bottom of the rear grooves F at the right end of said slot (as viewed from the front of the machine), whereas at the left end of the slot, the top and bottom of rear groove F are the closer spaced. Thus, when the member F is in its leftmost position, the opposite ends of the expansible and collapsible pin F will engage in the front or advance groove F and, as the pin actuating member F is moved to the right, it is projected into the mold disk aperture C where it engages behind the knife slide pin B". When the member F reaches its rightmost position, the expansible and collapsible pin F moves out of the front or advance groove and into the rear or return groove F so that as the pin actuating member F returns to its normal or leftmost position, it is retracted out of the mold disk aperture C and out of engagement with the pin B thus permitting the mold disk to continue its rotation without interference.

As shown in Fig. 6, the expansible and collapsible pin F comprises an enlarged portion 1 a reduced portion 1", a sleeve i of the same diameter as the enlarged portion slidably fitted at the outer end of the reduced portion, and a spring f encircling the reduced portion and interposed between the enlarged portion and the sleeve. With this arrangement, the length of the pin F always conforms to the variable spacing between the respective tops and bottoms of the grooves F and F The pin actuating element F is moved from the left end to the right end of the guide slot F in a very short period of time or in the time it takes the mold B to travel from the dot-and-dash line position shown in Fig. 3 to the dot-and-dash line position shown in Fig. 4. The actuating mechanism for the element F, therefore, is quick acting and, in the instant embodiment of the invention, comprises a series of levers arranged to multiply the motion of the mold disk C. This mechanism, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 8, includes the lever G pivoted at its upper end on the portion D of the mold disk slide at the back, and is connected at its lower end to the knife slide actuating element F by a link G pivoted at one end to the lever G and at the other end to a reduced rearwardly extending portion of the element F. The mechanism further includes a crank lever G pivoted to an extension F of the bracket F and formed with a long arm G linked to the lever G intermediate its ends and a short arm G provided at its upper end with anti-friction roller G which, in the normal position of the quick acting mechanism, lies in the path of a flat face cam element G secured adjacent the edge of the mold disk at the back.

As the mold disk C rotates to bring the pin 13' just forward of the pin actuating element F, as shown in Fig. 3, the cam G engages the roller G which thereupon rides up the fiat face 9 of said cam to the position shown in Fig. 4, such action resulting in turning the lever G in a clockwise direction to pull the lever G to the right against the tension of a spring Gr secured at one end to the lever G and anchored at the other end to the mold disk slide (see Fig. 1). As a result, the knife pin actuating element F is dragged quickly to the right, and, of course, is projected forwardly to engage the knife slide pin B to return the knife slide B to its normal position, as previously described. As the mold disk continues to rotate, the roller rides over the cam G and down the rear inclined face g thereof, thus permitting the pin actuating element F to be returned to normal position under the influence of the spring G acting upon the lever G. During the return stroke,

the pin actuating element F is in its retracted position or withdrawn from the aperture C in the mold disk, due to the tracking of its associated expansible and collapsible pin F in the return groove F of the guide slot F so that the mold disk may continue to rotate without interference, to advance the mold to the slug ejecting position (see Fig. 5). The rear face 9 of the cam G is inclined to insure the slow return of the quick acting mechanism and pin actuating element F so as to prevent injury to the parts.

Preferably the mold disk is drilled at suitably spaced intervals so that the cam G' may be properly positioned for operation with a selected mold, or if desired a cam may be provided for each mold, in which event the cams will be permanently secured to the mold disk. The cams E E and E may also be adjustably mounted on the hub of the mold disk D, so as to be located properly for cooperation with the particular mold selected for use.

In order to prevent rotation of the pin actuating element F about its own axis during its reciprocable movement in the slot F there is provided a member F (see Figs. 6 and 7) formed at the bottom with a pair of depending fingers f straddlingithe pin actuating element F and slidably engaging flat portions I 1 provided in the'surface of saidpin actuating element. The length of the flat portions f is sufficient to accommodate the fore-and-aft movement of thepin actuating element F, and the length of the fingers f is sufficient to maintain engagement with said element throughout the radial movement of the latter (with respect to the center of the mold diskldizeto the curvature of the guide slot F The memloerF is formed atthe top with a pair of opposed tongues i engaging in a corresponding pair of opposed grooves 3 formed in thertop and bottom of a track extending longitudinallyiof thelbracket member F and which thusserves to guide the memberl inits reciprocable movement, as de- I termined by the pin actuating element F.

Because of the low character of the slugs, means are provided for preventing displacement of the slug in the moldi. during thetrimming operation. These means include in part aseries ,of spaced pins or core members 7 W, h ,(see

Figs. 1, 5 and 12) arranged to be projected into the slug cavity h during the casting of the slug, and maintained in such positionuntil aftertthe slughas been trimmed. The two end core members h 7L extend completely across the mold cavity and are adapted to produce notches in the ends of the slugs, these notchesbeing intended to receive and hold ribs formed on specialtrays orgalleys in which the slugs are stacked in i column formation. The intermediate core members h extend only partially into the mold cavity andare'merely for the purpose ofsupporting the slugs during trimming, as above mentioned. The core members 71 71 I1 slide in holes 71 drilled in the lower portion of the mold B and have enlarged lower shanks h which engage in correspondingly enlarged portions of the holes 40,

71 each core member being provided with a spring h encircling the reduced portion thereof and engaging between shoulders provided bythe up- I per 'end of the shank and the upper end ofv the enlarged portion of the hole. The core membersare simultaneouslyoperated by a"parallel motion bar H secured at its opposite end to the mold by linksI-P, the parallel motion barin turnbeing' operated by a cam H arranged "in frontof the mold and screwed to the fixed hub D upon which the mold disk rotates. The cam H has a high concentric portion H extending mold, when the latter is in the position wherein the knife slide has just returned to its normal position after the trimming operation, and a lowportion H forthe remainder of its periphcry. When the mold is in the casting position, the parallel motion bar I-I engages the*high portion H of the cam, inwhich position the core members are maintainedintheir active po sitions in thelmold cavity against the tension of their associated springs h As the mold disk rotates,jthe parallel motion bar continues to engage the high portion of the cam H during-the trimming of the slug and until after the knife slide B has been returned to norma1 position. As the parallel motion bar arrives at the low portion H of the cam, the core members 71 71 are withdrawn from the mold cavity under the influence of their associated springs 71.

, As before stated, the invention has been shown merely in preferred form and by way of example, and obviously, many modifications and alterations will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what claim isas follows: i

1. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a mold movable from casting position during a machine cycle of operation and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife, and means disconnected from the knife and acting during the movementof the mold for intercepting the knife, thereby causing relative movement between the knife and the mold to trim the bottom edges of slugs castinwthe mold cavity. i

2.111 a slug casting machine, the combination cfa 'mold movable from casting position during a machine cycle of operation and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife, and means mounted independently of the mold and arranged to intercept the knife during the movementof the mold, thereby causing relative movement between' the knife and the mold to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity.

3. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk, a mold mounted thereon and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife, and means mounted independently of the mold disk and arranged to intercept the knife during the rotation of the disk, thereby causing relative movement between the knife and the mold totrim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity. a 4. In a slug casting machine, the combination of arotatable mold disk, a mold secured to said mold disk and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife, and means disconnected from the knife for intercepting the same as the mold disk is" rotating: thereby causing relative movement between the knife and mold to trim the bottom edges of the slugs cast in the mold cavity;

5. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a mold movable from casting position during a machine cycle of operation and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife, means dis connected from the knife for intercepting the same duringthe movement of the mold, thereby causing relative movement between the knife and the mold to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity, and separate means for returning the knifcto normal position.

6.. Ina slugcasting machine, the combination of a mold movable from casting to ejecting position and provided with a longitudinal reciprocable knife, means disconnected from the knife and acting during such movement of the mold to intercept the knife, thereby causing relative movement between the knife and the mold to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity, and separate means for returning the knife to normal position before the mold reaches the ejectingposition. I

7. In a slugcasting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk, a mold secured to said mold disk and provided with a longitudinally rerocable knife slide, a stop mounted in the machine frame, and automatic means for actuating the. stop to cause it to intercept a portion of the knife slide, thereby causing relative movement between the knife and the mold to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity, and for thereafter returning the stop to normal position to permit movement of the mold without interruption. 1

9. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a mold movable from casting to ejecting po sition and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife slide, a stop mounted in the machine frame, automatic means for actuating the stop to cause it to intercept a portion of the knife slide, thereby causing relative movement between the knife and the mold to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity, and for thereafter returning the stop to normal position to permit movement of the mold without interruption, and additional means for engaging a portion of the knife slide to return it to normal position after the slug trimming operation.

10. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a mold movable from casting position during a machine cycle of operation and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife slidable in guideways formed wholly within the limits of the mold, and automatic means for operating the knife to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity.

11. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk, a mold mounted thereon and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife slidable in guideways formed wholly within the limits of the mold, and means operable during the rotation of the mold disk to actuate the knife, thereby causing it to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity.

12. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk, a mold mounted thereon and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife slidable in guideways formed wholly within the limits of the mold, and automatic means arranged at the back of the mold disk for operating the knife to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity.

13. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk, provided with an aperture, a mold secured to the mold disk at the aperture and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable slide carrying a knife movable to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity, a pin fixed to the knife slide and projecting into said aperture, and mechanism arranged to intercept the pin during the movement of the mold disk, thereby causing relative movement between the knife and the mold to effect the trimming operation.

14. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk provided with an aperture, a mold secured to the mold disk at the aperture and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable slide carrying a knife movable to trim the bottom edges of slugs cast in the mold cavity, a pin fixed to the knife slide and projecting into said aperture, means arranged to intercept the pin to arrest the slide during the movement of the mold disk, thereby to effect the trimming operation, and independent means arranged to coact with said pin to return the slide to normalposition.

15. In a slug casting machine, the combinationof a rotatable mold disk provided with an aperture, a mold secured to the disk at the aperture and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife movable to trim the bottom of slugs cast in the mold cavity, a pin associated with the knife and projecting rearwardly of the mold, means for moving the knife upon its active stroke in one. direction with respect to the mold, and means arranged at the rear of the mold disk and adapted to cooperate with the pin through the mold disk aperture to return the knife to normal position.

16. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk provided with an aperture, a mold secured to the disk at the aperture and provided with a. longitudinally reciprocable knife movable to trim the bottom of slugs cast in themold cavity, a pin associated with the knife and projecting rearwardly of the mold, means for moving the knife upon its active stroke in one direction with respect to the mold, means arranged at the rear of the mold disk and adapted to cooperate with the pin through the mold disk aperture to return the knife to normal position,

said means including an element projectable into the mold disk aperture at the trailing end thereof to engage the pin, and retractable from the aperture at the leading end thereof to disengage the pin, and quick acting mechanism for moving the element from the trailing end of the aperture to the leading end thereof before the mold reaches the ejecting position.

17. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk provided with an aperture, a mold secured to the disk at the aperture and provided with a longitudinally reciprocable knife movable to trim the bottom of slugs cast in the mold cavity, a pin associated with the knife projecting rearwardly of the mold, means for moving the knife upon its active stroke in one direction with respect to the mold, means arranged at the rear of the mold disk and adapted to cooperate with the pin through the mold disk aperture to return the knife to normal position, said means including a quick acting mechanism operated from a periodically operating element of the machine.

18. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a rotatable mold disk, a mold carried thereby, a plurality of core members arranged to be projected into and retracted from the mold cavity, and means operating by the movement of the mold disk to project the core members into the mold prior to the casting of the slug and to retract the core members from the mold subsequently to the casting of the slug.

19. A slug casting machine in accordance with claim 18, wherein the core members are operated by a parallel motion bar arranged to be actuated from a cam mounted on the mold disk hub.

WILLIAM ACKERMAN. 

